urge

[ urj ]

verb (used with object)

, urged, urg·ing.

1. to push or force along; impel with force or vigor:

   to urge the cause along.

   Antonyms: deter

2. to drive with incitement to speed or effort:

   to urge dogs on with shouts.

   Antonyms: deter

3. to press, push, or hasten (the course, activities, etc.):

   to urge one's escape.

   Antonyms: deter

4. to impel, constrain, or move to some action:

   urged by necessity.

   Synonyms: spur, stimulate, goad, incite

   Antonyms: discourage

5. to endeavor to induce or persuade, as by entreaties; entreat or exhort earnestly:

   to urge a person to greater caution.

   Antonyms: discourage

6. to press (something) upon the attention:

   to urge a claim.

7. to insist on, allege, or assert with earnestness:

   to urge the need of haste.

   Synonyms: asseverate, aver

8. to press by persuasion or recommendation, as for acceptance, performance, or use; recommend or advocate earnestly:

   to urge a plan of action.

verb (used without object)

, urged, urg·ing.

1. to exert a driving or impelling force; give an impulse to haste or action:

   Hunger urges.

2. to make entreaties or earnest recommendations.
3. to press arguments or allegations, as against a person, action, or cause:

   The senator urged against the confirmation of the appointment.

noun

1. an act of urging; impelling action, influence, or force; impulse.
2. an involuntary, natural, or instinctive impulse:

   the sex urge.

urge

/ ɜːdʒ /

verb

1. tr to plead, press, or move (someone to do something)

   we urged him to surrender

2. tr; may take a clause as object to advocate or recommend earnestly and persistently; plead or insist on

   to urge the need for safety

3. tr to impel, drive, or hasten onwards

   he urged the horses on

4. archaic.
   tr to stimulate, excite, or incite

noun

1. a strong impulse, inner drive, or yearning

Other Words From

• urging·ly adverb
• over·urge verb overurged overurging
• un·urged adjective
• un·urging adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of urge¹

First recorded in 1550–60, urge is from the Latin word urgēre to press, force, drive, urge

Word History and Origins

Origin of urge¹

C16: from Latin urgēre

Example Sentences

I need to resist my urge to talk them into my truth, just so I can feel more comfortable and secure.

From The Daily Beast

For instance, how do you balance honesty with any protective urge?

From The Daily Beast

And not that anyone would know I have a self-protective urge, but I do have one.

From The Daily Beast

On the other hand, I have an equally strong urge to tell secrets.

From The Daily Beast

But not even the threat of death can suppress the urge to live vicariously through Jack Dawson and James Bond.

From The Daily Beast

And I have given this tedious detail to urge and embolden others to remonstrate against it.

From Project Gutenberg

In excusing the Freedom of your Satyr, you urge that it galls no body, because nobody minds it enough to be mended by it.

From Project Gutenberg

But this is quite enough to justify the inconsiderable expense which the experiment I urge would involve.

From Project Gutenberg

The judicious father saw that it would be utterly unavailing to urge the suit, and the matter was dropped.

From Project Gutenberg

At first the girl declined to follow advice which instinctively she distrusted, and Sir Lucien was too clever to urge it upon her.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• appetite
• compulsion
• craving
• impulse
• itch
• longing
• lust
• passion
• weakness
• yearning